Possible Head Gasket, Need Second Opinion

**LingLing** · 04-04-2006

Victim: 1990 Plymouth Laser RS-T (FWD)
Mods: None, Bone stock

Okay, So I'm changing my oil this morning and lone behold, there's fairly thick steaks of coolant in it. My first thought is a bad head gasket. However, it's a brand new head gasket from Mitsu, along with the head bolts. everything was done to torque spec and installed properly.

Thing's I noticed...

1) There's something leaking, there's a wet spot of the front side of the cat (toward the front of the car), and my underbody looks wet too. This car hasn't been drivin for 3-4 days due to low oil pressure. The moisture continues up to the engine bay, but I can't define where it's coming from.

2)Took the valve cover off and checked the head bolts. Yep, they're to torque spec, none of them backed themselves out. The stagnent oil around the cams appear to have NO signs of coolant in them, and the oil still looks golden. Where as the oil in the draining pan looks pretty murky and pretty black, with streaks of coolant.

3) There wasn't a lot of oil in my oil pan. Next to nothing. So I am linking the wet underbody to an oil leak, and will cause my extremely low oil pressure. But from where? (Good thing I stopped driving it right when I noticed the low oil pressure)

4) Since it has been rebuilt, it has never shown signs of overheating, and actually runs too cool compared to other turbo dsm's (hence my Runs Too Cold thread).

What do you guys think? Thanks in advance for your input.

-Jason

**JET** · 04-04-2006

Start with the obvious first, find the oil leak! Are the turbo lines on correctly? Is the turbo blown?

**LingLing** · 04-04-2006

Well after looking closer, it is the oil return line leaking. turbo lines are on correctly, and the turbo is new. only has around 90 miles on it. no shaft play, and spins freely.

**Kracka** · 04-04-2006

Does the underside of your oil cap have any milky substance on it? That is a good indication of coolant in your oil.

**LingLing** · 04-04-2006

nope. there is no "milky" substance on the underside of my oil cap either. I'm thinking I may have a hairline fracture in one of the coolant passages in my block.

tim · 04-05-2006

Pressurize your coolant system with a tester. They can be rented at almost any parts stores. Might be a good time for a leak down test too.

**LingLing** · 04-05-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim

Pressurize your coolant system with a tester. They can be rented at almost any parts stores. Might be a good time for a leak down test too.

good idea.

iceminion · 04-13-2006

your turbo is "new" only to you, you have a used 14b, its probably at least 10 years old.

I havent heard of hairline fractures in the block on the 4g63 alot, its usually some other small shit.

did you do your head gasket? just because they installed a head gasket and torqued it properly doesnt actually mean that it was done correctly.

**LingLing** · 04-13-2006

nah, it actually stopped...i just changed it today, no coolant...must've just been from us sloshing the engine around so much from when we pulled it.